What are political parties?
- Political parties are organised groups of people who aim to win elections in order to form a government.
- They perform several functions such as:
ParticipationThey enable individuals to participate in the political process,
ElectionsThey offer the public the opportunity.,
GovernmentOnce elected, they form a government and implement policies.,
OrganisationThey organise political activities and campaigns.,
EducationParties educate the public about political issues and policies..
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There are three features of a political party:
- Parties are organised with a formal membership.
- To an extent, they are united by a shared political ideology.
- They seek to gain political power through participating in elections.
Funding of Political Parties
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While MP's are paid by the state, political parties must fund themselves and are often funded through
membership fees and donations. There is the case of state funding through what is called
Short MoneyThis is funding provided to opposition parties to help them perform their duties..
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Donations from individuals or corporations are often significant for the major parties.
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The extent to which private interest is exerted on political parties through donations is matter of ongoing debate.
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Recent reforms have introduced greater transparency, such as the
Electoral CommissionEstablished in 2001, they keep records of every donation over £7,500.. However, concerns remain about the influence of money in politics.
